The Scientific Committee of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (PSRFMO) met in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Giant Squid Fishery: An Uncertain Future for Another Year

NEW ZEALAND
Monday, September 15, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

The giant squid (dosidicus gigas) fishery, which catches more than 1 million tons annually in the South Pacific, faces an uncertain future after a key meeting in New Zealand failed to make significant progress on its management. The industry is in a delicate situation due to a lack of conservation agreements.

The Scientific Committee of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) met with scientists from its 20 Member States and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties. During the meeting, an evaluation of the giant squid stock was expected from CALAMASUR, an organization that represents industry players in Latin American countries. However, its proposal was removed from the agenda without warning.

CALAMASUR feels discriminated against

The president of CALAMASUR, Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre, reported that his organization's work was excluded despite having complied with all protocols. According to Miranda, the SPRFMO executive secretary responded to a public statement from CALAMASUR by saying that the giant squid stock evaluation “was not a priority this year” and that, due to “scheduling restrictions,” they would not be given a chance to participate.

Scientist Rodrigo Wiff, co-author of the CALAMASUR stock evaluation, disagreed with the official position, arguing that “the world's largest invertebrate fishery cannot continue to be fished blindly.” Nevertheless, the chairman of the Scientific Committee, Dr. Ricardo Oliveros Ramos, closed the debate without allowing rebuttals.

Despite the difficulties, CALAMASUR's public denunciation had a positive impact. Due to the organization's persistence, urgent topics such as data sharing were addressed, which led to Peru, Chile, and China ratifying their commitment to share relevant information. However, Miranda regretted that his right to participate was limited and stated: “Such a delicate matter should not be handled behind closed doors.”

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